


Our future past

by alicambs



Category: Heroes - Fandom
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-03-20
Updated: 2010-03-20
Packaged: 2017-10-08 04:10:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/72553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alicambs/pseuds/alicambs
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sylar may have power, wealth and influence, but he doesn't exactly have <i>who</i> he wants.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Our future past

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers for Seasons 1 and 2. Thanks to Cate for struggling through homework and the flu to beta.
> 
> Written in October 08

Sylar watches Mohinder's face with amusement as he stalks towards him. The man is breathing heavily, his heart pounding, his eye wide with terror and yet he says nothing. No babbling, no pleas for mercy, no whimpers. He lifts his hand, ready to send Mohinder hurtling towards the wall, when everything freezes.

"Look at him," says a voice so familiar that he stops in his tracks.

"Look at him," it repeats. "So terrified, disbelieving, angry and yet so damn beautiful it takes my breath away still."

Sylar turns toward the voice. "Beautiful?" he asks slowly. "You think Mohinder is beautiful?"

The other man snorts. "Don't fool yourself; I know we both think he's beautiful."

Sylar says nothing. Unless someone's playing tricks on him, the person standing in front of him is himself!

The other Sylar continues. "I'm you, or I'm future you, older not that you'd notice, certainly wiser and considerably more powerful. I know precisely what you're thinking because I've been exactly where you are."

"Yeah, and what am I going to do to the man that's just tortured me and tried to kill me?" Sylar asks, irritated beyond belief at this future him.

"Hurt him badly!" the future Sylar replies in a voice that infers that his past self is being incredibly dim-witted, and Sylar want so much to lash out at him. "But you're secretly very impressed by him. He's not the naïve, foolish Professor you took him for. Despite his lack of powers he's taken you on and nearly won."

Sylar allows his anger and irritation to cool as he nods slowly. "He's certainly much more interesting and complex than I took him for," he agrees looking back at Mohinder frozen in front of him.

"And yet you want to hurt him."

Sylar frowns. "Of course I do, he tortured me!"

"Some would say with justification," his future self says. "We did kill his father, after all."

"Chandra Suresh deserved that," Sylar growls. "He dismissed me, betrayed me and said I was nothing."

His future self shrugs his shoulders. "And you think Mohinder will accept that?" future Sylar asks patronisingly, or so it seems to Sylar. What Mohinder chooses to think is not his responsibility. "His father's death will always come between you, but more importantly for now he thinks your entire 'friendship' was as false as your alias. He really liked Zane. He thought he'd found a friend in you, someone who shared his passion for discovering special people. Instead he found a killer."

Sylar blinks and shakes his head denying the words of his other self and yet needing to explain, to justify himself. "It wasn't all a lie! Mohinder was a means to an end, but I liked him almost from the start. It was his joy at 'Zane's' power, his delight at me being special," he smiles. "His enthusiasm was infectious."

"He doesn't know that. He doesn't think you're capable of love or affection, he thinks you're a monster. Hurting him will make him hate you even more than he does at the moment."

"Why should that bother me?" Sylar asks, despite the fact that he is well aware that he wants Mohinder more than he can remember ever wanting someone before.

Future Sylar sighs. "Was I really this obtuse?" he mutters to himself. Sylar bristles with annoyance, but before he can respond his future self speaks again. "I have accumulated enough power, wealth, influence to last many life times, but what I want, who I want eludes me at every step. I've travelled back in time and tried to fix many things only to see them become worse and fall apart. I've tried to do the same with Mohinder and failed. I've resorted to blackmail, wiped his memories, compelled him…," he shakes his head. "None of these give me what I want."

"Which is?" Sylar asks, somewhat bewildered by his other self's statement. He'd more than happy to force Mohinder to do exactly what he wanted.

"I want a willing Mohinder Suresh in my bed and in my life or at least a semi-willing Mohinder." Future Sylar gives a dark smile that does more than anything to convince Sylar that this man is exactly who he says he is. "I don't want a pale, memory wiped copy. I want this man in front of us as he is, but with his fire, his passion, his drive and his love focused entirely on me, not directed outwards in his desire to escape me or on another for whom he is sacrificing himself."

Sylar slowly grasps the motivation for the actions of his future self. He understands that need, that craving to be loved, to be seen as special. To be adored by one person above others. To be the first in that person's mind, to be that person's hero. "But you said you'd failed to fix it before," he reminds his future self.

Future Sylar nods. "I've stopped making direct changes. What I do now is to give things I want to change a little nudge in the right direction and step back. Slowly changing an attitude, making Mohinder a little less hostile and a little less inclined to sell me out at every opportunity. I think that's possible." He looks directly into Sylar's eyes. "Don't hurt him too much and let him know what you think of him." He smiles with glee. "I just know it will scare the shit out of him, but I'm sure it will also make him a little more willing to listen to us in the future." He reaches out and presses his hand to Sylar's forehead. "You won't remember this, but you will act on my suggestions.

Sylar opens his mouth to argue with him, then watches as Mohinder collides with the wall, his head bouncing against the impact. He waits for Mohinder's eyes to focus back on him and gives him a shark-like smile. "You have hidden depths, Doctor," he says, and smiles again amused at the increase in heart rate his smile engenders. "I took you for a naïve, friendly, passionate and somewhat foolhardy academic. I didn't think you had it in you to trick me, drug me, torture me and finally try to kill me." He raises his eyebrows and smiles again. "I'm impressed and intrigued, Mohinder. I've decided I want to get to know you better."

Mohinder shakes his head and tries to speak. Sylar presses against his throat and holds his finger up to his mouth. "Sssh! You've had your say now it's my turn. You must be punished of course, but once I've punished you I'll forgive you and let you make it up to me." He brushes his hand down Mohinder's face and cups his chin leaning in towards him. "You're such a beautiful man," he murmurs and kisses him firmly. He draws back and takes in the sight of Mohinder wide eyed with shock before darting back down and kissing the man again, sucking in his bottom lip and biting down hard. When he draws back Mohinder's lip is already beginning to bleed.

"You bastard!" Mohinder hisses and Sylar loses his temper.

"I'm keeping you alive, Doctor," he snaps. "I expect a little more gratitude for my generosity." He waves at the sofa and it flies towards the door and tips over. "A little more humility too, considering what I could do to you." Another wave and the chairs slam into the table and fall over and the mugs rattle on their hooks in the kitchen area, a wave of both hands and all the furniture flies up in the air. He returns his attention to Mohinder, who is looking pale and horrified, and moves to take another bite at the reddened and swollen bottom lip. "Zane wasn't the only one who liked you," he murmurs in Mohinder's ear and licks a slow passage from his ear to the swollen mouth. "You fascinate me. Despite your lack of powers you are worthy of my attention."

"I don't want it," Mohinder says firmly, and Sylar is yet again impressed at his bravery. No pretence with this man, no soothing lies.

"You will," he promises and kisses the swollen lips tenderly. To his amusement, the tenderness does what the aggression didn't achieve and Mohinder relaxes very briefly into the kiss, before seemingly catching himself and stiffening against Sylar again.

"Don't!" Mohinder says and Sylar can hear the panic in his voice.

"But I want to," Sylar murmurs and repeats the action rubbing his hands along Mohinder's torso, along his back and down to his ass. He leaves one hand placed possessively on one butt cheek and with the aid of his telekinesis finds his way under Mohinder's shirt and vest to give him contact with bare skin. Mohinder is trembling under the gentle kisses and caresses, making whimpering noises in his throat. Sylar finds them a total turn on and ups the caresses, using both his hand and his power to explore.

"Please don't," Mohinder gasps as Sylar leaves off the kissing for a second.

Sylar ignores him and presses into the man, ready to resume the kissing, when he is distracted by the sound of a heart beat he knows he's heard before. "I think we're expecting a guest, Mohinder." He backs of the man and looks at him and grins. "I'll park you safely and we can continue this later." He waves his hand and Mohinder moves slowly to the ceiling. "No talking," he admonishes and views the sight with an appreciative smile before disappearing into a bedroom to await the person approaching.

***

Future Sylar watches the fight from the sidelines, although his glances return frequently to the man spread-eagled on the ceiling and he winces as his past self's power fails and Mohinder tumbles to the floor. The fight continues until both he and the annoying Peter Petrelli both fall and lie still. Mohinder struggles to his feet and looks between both of them. He crouches next to Petrelli and his face falls as he checks for his pulse. Sylar holds his breath while he waits to see what Mohinder does next. Mohinder finally pulls his hand away and sits back on his heels running his hand through his disarrayed curls. He slowly gets to his feet and walks to Sylar, reaching to check his pulse. His expression changes as he does so and he reaches forward to touch Sylar's face.

"You're alive you bastard," he says quietly and closes his eyes. "I should kill you. Shoot you like the murderer you are." He opens his eyes and shakes his head. "I was quite happy to do it then, so why do I hesitate now?" He touches Sylar's face again and turns away. "I'm a bloody fool," he says quietly and gets up returning to Petrelli's side.

Future Sylar nods his head slowly, a fleeting smile gracing his face. He's watched this scene more times than he wants to contemplate, and interfered in many of them, killing the annoying Petrelli almost as often. He's done things to Mohinder he's thoroughly enjoyed at the time yet regretted in retrospect, but in all those times he's never, ever seen Mohinder reach out to him as he lays helpless and touch him gently. Taking a deep breath future Sylar concentrates and jumps…

"Mohinder I need your help," Sylar says, in the present, gazing at the painting as he talks to the man he want so very much to see.

"Why?" Mohinder asks and Sylar can hear his breathing speed up. "Why are you calling me, Sylar? We're not exactly friends."

"I'd like us to be," Sylar says quietly.

Mohinder give a short bark of a laugh. "Can you really see that happening?" he asks. "Stop deluding yourself, Sylar, we're enemies. You killed my father how can we get past that?"

Sylar has no answer that will placate Mohinder, so he ignores the question and returns to the matter he is most worried about. "I've got a painting here that suggests that I'll become a bomb that kills half of New York City. Why would I want to do that, Mohinder? Why?" He hears Mohinder gasp and drop the phone. He hears fumbling and Mohinder is back with him.

"A bomb!" Mohinder breathes, and Sylar can hear the shock in his voice. "You need help, you need to be contained. Gods, Sylar what power have you taken now?"

"I haven't yet," Sylar admits. "It happens in the future. Some man with radioactivity."

There is silence at the end of the phone for a few seconds. "The future is not set in stone," Mohinder says, and Sylar hears a scraping noise as if he is pulling a chair or stool towards him. "Please Sylar, stop this killing. You have wonderful powers; think what you could do with them if you were to use them for good."

Sylar is silent this time contemplating his reply. "It's my destiny," he says slowly. "Mohinder, they didn't deserve their powers. They were frightened of them and using them poorly. I have a reason to take what others don't deserve. It's natural selection."

"Oh, Sylar!" Mohinder says and Sylar can hear the anger, despair and pain in that one word. "If you won't stop yourself then I must find people willing to help me stop you."

Sylar sighs. "Goodbye, Mohinder," he says and hangs up. "At least he listened," he murmurs to himself, then makes another call.

Future Sylar looks on silently. He knows where this is going and he wishes he could change it. He's tried oh so many times, but somehow his mother always ends up dead at his hands. He refocuses on the call and nods his head. Last time Mohinder tried to dial the police and track him, this time he not only listened he tried to offer help. Things are changing; perhaps this small move, this slight hope of having someone who cares just a little might even change the outcome of his visit to his mother. Future Sylar turns away from his past self and concentrates hard…

You and I have trust issues, Doctor," Sylar says casually as he watches Mohinder at work.

Mohinder glances at the gun in Sylar's hand and back up to his face. "And you wonder why," he says dispassionately.

Sylar gives a small grin before checking that Maya and Molly are out of view and steps into Mohinder's personal space. Mohinder stiffens, but doesn't move away. "Who hurt your nose?" he asks, moving to touch it.

Mohinder rears back and places both hands in front of his nose defensively. "It was an accident," he says hurriedly.

Sylar drops his hand and views Mohinder carefully. "You still look as gorgeous as I remember," he observes and almost crows as Mohinder looks flustered and embarrassed. "I've missed you."

Mohinder takes a deep breath and returns to his work. "I thought you were dead," he says quietly.

"And was that a cause for celebration?" Sylar asks, trying to sound blasé and unsure that he wants to hear the truth.

Mohinder is silent for a moment. "When you rang me you were anxious, looking for answers, frightened almost and seeking reassurance," he says, keeping busy and avoiding Sylar's gaze. Sylar bristles, he was not frightened, but he lets Mohinder continue uninterrupted for the moment. "I couldn't offer you what you needed, but I hoped that you'd listen to me and think seriously about the direction you were heading in. Then everything went haywire at Kirby Plaza and you were dead, Matt was injured by the bullets he'd fired at you and needed help, Peter and Nathan had gone and…" he trails off glancing at Sylar.

"I wanted to be a hero," Sylar says reflectively.

Mohinder shakes his head. "Yet you cause chaos, murder and mayhem where ever you go, Sylar," he says in exasperation. "You think of no one but yourself, you manipulate and destroy people to get what you want and you never count the cost."

"I care for you," Sylar growls. "I think of you and I want you, you know that, Mohinder."

Mohinder closes his eyes and looks weary. "I know," he says very quietly, "Yet you still think it acceptable to threaten and use me and those I love." He moves to put distance between them. "You've got the same strain of the virus that Niki has. Someone must have injected you."

Sylar takes in the news with shock and anger which mounts as Maya descends the staircase and starts screaming that he killed Alejandro. He recalls Molly's power and lusts for it before discarding the idea as stupid in the extreme unless he wants to make Mohinder his implacable enemy for ever. As Maya's poison seeps into him and his sight begins to blur he raises the gun and prepares to shoot.

"Stop, Maya!" Mohinder pleads, "You're killing Molly."

Maya glances guilty up at the gallery and takes deep calming breaths. Sylar straightens as the poison leaves his system and aims again.

"Please don't," Mohinder says, his eyes darting between Maya and Sylar. "You're frightening her and Molly." He reaches out tentatively and touches Sylar's shoulder.

Sylar relaxes his arm and takes a deep breath. "Cure me, Mohinder or I will shoot her."

Mohinder glances at his bag and bites his lip.

"Mohinder," Sylar says in warning and raises the gun again. He watches as Mohinder grips his hands and closes his eyes in seeming frustration before irritably pulling out a small package from his bag.

"I was on my way to cure Niki with this," Mohinder says angrily as Sylar reaches for it.

"Then make her some more," Sylar replies, uninterested in Niki or her fate. He unzips the bag and takes note of the contents. "Are you going to inject me again, Doctor? Will it hurt?"

Mohinder looks at him incredulously, so Sylar smiles before turning to Maya and pointing the gun at her again. "Get back upstairs and leave us," he demands. Maya looks like she is about to burst out into angry accusations again, but looks at a pleading Mohinder and slowly moves back upstairs. Sylar waits for her to disappear before reaching for Mohinder and placing a gentle kiss on his lips and tenderly brushing his bruised and battered nose.

"Thank you," he murmurs. "I think I better get going before the cavalry arrives to rescue you, but I'll be back, Mohinder, we have unfinished business to take care of."

Mohinder shakes his head and says nothing, but his right hand creeps up to touch his lips and that gesture gives Sylar hope as he flees from Elle.

Future Sylar stands quietly for some time after Elle's precipitous entrance into the lab. He doesn't need to watch his past self, he remembers clearly the joy he felt as he regained his powers. He returns his attention to Mohinder. The man is fussing over Molly while Maya is fussing over the both of them, crying as she does so. Elle is looking uncomfortable, but since she escaped a bullet in the arm in this future Sylar thinks she's damn lucky.

He's watched similar scenarios to this over time, although in some futures it never happens and they are the ones that turn out the worse for him. His past self seems to have learned how to sweeten his dealings with Mohinder just a little, and Mohinder seems a little more willing to listen.

Future Sylar watches Mohinder as he contemplates the changes he has seen. Everything is progressing along the same predestined path, but with one small and hopefully significant difference. Mohinder and he are not implacable enemies. They certainly aren't friends, but there's a connection. A connection bought about by one brief conversation and an implanted suggestion to his past self. He wants to listen in on their next meeting, but since he's not too sure when this particular meeting might occur he knows it would be a little like looking for the proverbial needle in the haystack.

He hopes he's done enough. If he hasn't it's back to the drawing board and the sullen, captive Mohinder in his bed. He takes one last look at the scene before him and jumps…

"Good evening, sir," Matt Parkman says.

Sylar nods at his Head of Security and checks the time. "You're working late, Matt," he says.

"Doctor Suresh gave Noah Bennet time off to attend his daughter's engagement party, but then ended up having to attend a government meeting at late notice. I know you don't like him to go anywhere without good security so I took it upon myself to officiate."

Sylar laughs. "What you mean is that he doesn't fuss if you stand in for Bennet like he does with anyone else."

"There's that, sir," Parkman says cheerfully, as he should be. He's paid very well for his job and has proven himself so loyal that he has as much trust as Sylar is able to give anyone. "He's in your suite if you're looking for him."

Sylar nods at him and then walks hurriedly towards the elevator to the penthouse suite. His conversation with Parkman is a very hopeful sign. The last time he and Parkman discussed Mohinder it was to report that he'd sabotaged his work and was refusing to cooperate with any of the other scientists. He waits impatiently for the elevator to reach the apartment and strides in. Mohinder is sitting on the sofa gazing out at the Manhattan skyline. He's wearing a blue silky suit and a white shirt – the tie has been pulled loose, and Sylar thinks he looks stunning. He turns as he hears Sylar's footsteps and a smile of greeting crosses his face.

"Gabriel," he says happily, and starts to stand.

Sylar is nuzzling into his neck and breathing in his scent, preventing Mohinder from moving, before he recalls the 'Gabriel'. He begins to pepper kisses along the unshaven chin and startles a snort of laughter out of Mohinder. "I've missed you," he whispers, and gives a gentle mental suggestion to Mohinder to explain.

"You saw me this morning," Mohinder says, pulling his head gently away and dropping a kiss on Sylar's lips. "and before the briefing." He pulls Sylar to him and gives him a hug. "But then we were Mr Sylar the dictatorial boss and Doctor Suresh the employee.

Sylar's eyes widen. Of course! This is how he and Mohinder can reconcile their past. In their private lives they are Mohinder Suresh and Gabriel Grey and since Gabriel has no history with Mohinder he is free to love him. Sylar smiles at his lover's need for such rationalisation

"We could role play that," Sylar says, and Mohinder thumps his shoulder. He pulls Mohinder to him and wraps his arm round him. "Please tell me we have a night in." Mohinder nods and Sylar is carrying him toward the bedroom before the action is complete.

"Put me down," Mohinder yells, laughing as he is thrown onto the huge bed that dominates the bedroom. Sylar sits astride him and looks down with wonder at the happy, laughing face. He traces Mohinder's eyes and nose with his forefinger and trails his finger along the strong jaw line. "I love you," he says, shocking himself.

Mohinder's eyes widen and he smiles in pleasure. "And I love you," he replies, and reaches for Sylar's hand.

Sylar looks down at their linked hands and realises that he means it. He does love Mohinder, more perhaps than Mohinder will ever comprehend. Mohinder will never know the lengths he's gone to to get what he has now. Neither will Mohinder ever known the lengths he is prepared to go to to protect what he has, and to protect Mohinder himself. Mohinder is his safe haven and his sanctuary.

Sylar looks up to Mohinder's face and smiles before rolling on to his back and clasping his arms behind his head. "This is one of my favourite of your outfits, " he says, "so how about you take you time getting out of it while I watch?"

Mohinder shakes his head and laughs. "You are a voyeur, "he tells Sylar, getting off from the bed and pulling his tie over his head.

Sylar settles down for a floor show and feels a measure of hope and contentment creep into his battered and embittered soul.


End file.
